What are the rules for reporting statements in the past in reported speech?

Reported Speech Questions Long



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What are the rules for reporting statements in the past in reported speech?

The rules for reporting statements in the past in reported speech are as follows:

1. Change of tense: When reporting statements in the past, the tense of the verb in the reported speech is usually shifted back one tense. For example, if the original statement was in the present simple tense, it would be reported in the past simple tense.

2. Change of pronouns: The pronouns in the reported speech are often changed to reflect the perspective of the speaker in the reported speech. For example, "I" becomes "he/she" and "we" becomes "they".

3. Change of time and place references: Time and place references in the reported speech are usually changed to reflect the time and place of the reported speech. For example, "today" becomes "that day" and "here" becomes "there".

4. Reporting verbs: The choice of reporting verbs can also change when reporting statements in the past. Common reporting verbs for past statements include "said", "told", "asked", "explained", etc.

5. Indirect speech: The reported speech is usually introduced by a reporting verb followed by the word "that". However, in informal speech, the word "that" can be omitted.

6. Punctuation: When reporting statements in the past, the reported speech is often enclosed in quotation marks or reported using indirect speech without quotation marks.

It is important to note that these rules may vary depending on the context and the specific situation. Additionally, reported speech in the past can also include reported questions, commands, and requests, which may have their own specific rules.